What Does Erwan Heussaff Really Eat? And Other Fun Erwan Facts

What’s the first thing you usually do when you wake up?I drink a big glass of water.

And then you work out.Usually I run, bike, or swim, depending on the day.

IMAGE COURTESY OF ERWAN HEUSSAFF

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Erwan says he can eat and drink a little bit more than most because he works out regularly.

And with all that fabulous food that you’re exposed to for work, how do you maintain your weight now?I eat what makes sense to me. Do I need rice, bread, grains, sugar? Not really. Do I need a lot of vegetables, any meat I want, butter? Yes, definitely! It’s more or less based on the Paleo diet principles, where you focus on eating unprocessed and natural foods; ingredients you’d be able to find in nature and not only in supermarkets.

What do usually have for breakfast?I actually don’t really eat breakfast. After working out I usually make myself a big fruit shake with lots of vitamins, almond butter, almond milk, and protein powder to replenish. But I won’t eat anything until 1 p.m. simply because I believe people should only eat during an eight-hour window every day. That’s what our bodies are programmed to do.

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You used to be 240 pounds, and look at you now! How did you do that?I read a lot of books and really got down to the science of weight loss. I then applied that to my daily life and added increments of fitness, increasing every day. This allowed me to steadily put off and keep off weight.

IMAGE COURTESY OF ERWAN HEUSSAFF

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Erwan loves a good meal, and will travel far and wide to get one.

Do you ever entertain on your own? I love casual entertaining, come as you are, relax. I always serve the food and drinks in unique vessels (old milk and soda bottles, wooden boards, massive bowls). The food looks casual but is actually really intricate.

IMAGE CAROLINE BACLIG SCHMIDT AND NICOLAI SVANE

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Most memorable meal?With my dad when I turned 21. We were in Paris, at a newly opened hotel. We ordered a bottle of Cheval Blanc 1995, even before serving us the oenologueasked our permission to have a half a glass because he had never smelled something so spectacular, it was amazing. We then ordered everything on the menu. One of the most memorable was a kouign-amann(a butter cake from Brittany that is absolutely decadent—Brasserie Çicou makes a good one here) stuffed with roasted pigeon.

What would you have for your last meal?A baked potato, salted butter from Brittany, chives; steamed langoustines and oysters, fresh lemon juice, and a glass of Bourgogne.

What do you like most about your appearance?I like that my hair is so thick that I never really have to worry about fixing it. It’ll do what it wants.

Any other consuming passions?I hope not. I have too many as it is.

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Greatest extravagance?Travel.

IMAGE COURTESY OF ERWAN HEUSSAFF

Pet peeve?People who don’t know if the elevator they are on is going up or down.

Who is your dream date?In a non-romantic way? Richard Branson. I would love to have him finance my ideas.

Qualities you like most in a woman?Honesty, strength, and humility.

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Loves of your life?My family, my fiance, and my best friends.

What do you hope to dream about?My days are so busy and full, I want my sleep to be uninterrupted.

This story was originally published in the June 2013 issue of Town&Country. Minor edits have been made to update details.